Himachal Pradesh CM’s advisor flags protocol breach, calls Delhi Police action in Shimla 'Not a drama but serious issue'

SHIMLA: Naresh Chauhan, Principal Advisor (Media) to the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, on Thursday strongly criticised the Delhi Police for their recent detention of three individuals in Shimla. "This was not a drama but a serious issue. The way Delhi Police entered Himachal Pradesh to arrest three people - it should have happened according to the law. The first requirement for taking such an action is to give prior intimation to the police of the specific state...No laid down protocols were followed by the Delhi Police," Chauhan said, according to news agency ANI."SP Shimla and Himachal Pradesh Police raised an objection to this.

Delhi Police, without any FIR, went and detained three people. Our police teams forced them to follow the laid down procedures, like conducting medical examination of those arrested and obtaining their transit remand. The way Delhi Police wanted to operate was completely wrong," He added. The statement comes in the wake of an incident at Chirgaon, Shimla, where three people were taken away by individuals in civilian clothes driving vehicles with out-of-state numbers.

A dramatic sequence of events at a local resort, initially reported as a daylight abduction, culminated in a multi-district police intercept. What first appeared to be a kidnapping by unidentified gunmen was later revealed to be a coordinated—but legally scrutinised—custody operation by Delhi and Haryana police teams. The incident began on the morning of February 25, 2026, when Shimla Police received an emergency call from Chanshul Resort in Chirgaon.

The resort owner reported that a group of men in civilian clothes, driving out-of-state vehicles, had forcibly taken three guests."Yesterday morning, Shimla Police received information from Chanshul Resort, Chirgaon, regarding an alleged incident wherein a group of individuals, in civilian clothes in vehicles bearing outside state registration numbers, had reportedly forcibly taken away three persons staying at the resort and had also removed certain electronic equipment, including a Digital Video Recorder (DVR)," said Shimla Police. The case is linked to a protest by Indian Youth Congress workers at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. Shimla Police promptly initiated legal action to ascertain the facts and ensure all procedures were followed according to the law. Acting in coordination with Solan Police, teams intercepted the individuals at multiple locations, including Shoghi, ISBT Shimla, and Dharampur."Upon verification, it was revealed that the group comprised police personnel from Delhi and Haryana who had followed and taken custody of the three individuals in connection with a case registered in Delhi," said Shimla Police. The individuals were produced before the competent local court, and the three persons underwent medical examination at Ripon Hospital, Shimla, as per established legal procedures. The ACJM-II Court, Shimla, granted transit remand of approximately 18 hours. After completion of all statutory formalities and verification, Delhi and Haryana police were permitted to proceed to Delhi with the concerned individuals. Meanwhile, FIR No. 18/2026 dated 25/02/2026 was registered at Police Station Chirgaon on the complaint of the resort owner, and the investigation is ongoing.